VISITING PROFESSORSHIP BUDDHISM AT LEIDEN UNIVERSITY

From February 4 until the 13 of May Professor Abe Masao is giving lectures at
Leiden University on the comparative study of Christianity and Buddhism. He
is the third incumbent of the visiting professorship for Buddhist Studies that
was created at the Leiden University a few years ago with the financial
support of the Bukkyþ Dendþ Kyþkai (Society for the Propagation of Buddhism).
The first two visiting professors were Inagaki Hisao and Tokiwa Gishin.
Professor Abe is a well-known Japanese philosopher, emeritus professor at Nara
University of Education, and a prominent exponent of the so called
Kyþto-school. This is a movement in modern Japanese philosophy combining
western philosophy (and theology) with Japanese (Zen)-philosophy that goes
back to Nishida Kitaro (1870-1945). Professor Abe received his Ph.D from Kyþto
University after postgraduate studies at Columbia University and Union
Theological Seminary. He has been a visiting professor at several universities
in the United States. Among his many publication are Zen and Western Thought
(1985) and A Study of Dþgen (1991). He is also editor of A Zen Life: D.T.
Suzuki Remembered (1986) and co-translator of An Inquiry into the Good By
Nishida Kitarþ (1990). The lectures are open to all.

PROGRAMME:

March
4   The Problem of Evil in Budhism and Christianity
18  The Problem of Death in Buddhism and Christianity
25  The Problem of Death in Buddhism and Christianity (continued)

April
15  Kenosis and Sunyata - Self Emptying in Christianity and Buddhism
22  The Positive Meaning of Sunyata
29  Beyond Buddhism and Christianity - "Dazzling Darkness"

May
6   The Logic and Absolute Nothingness - The Logic Expounded by the
    Philosophy of the Kyþto School
15  God and Absolute Nothingness - Double Negotiation as an Exential
    for Attaining the Ultimate Reality

Place:
Cleveringaplaats 1
Building 1175, room 127, 11:00-13:00 hours